"39 Years" but who's counting?

Who knew back in February 1971 when Mike and I started dating that 42 years later Mike and I would be celebrating 39 years of being married.  The statistics were against us.  Mike was only 15 and I had just turned 17.  His mom would ride with him out to get me for our dates, I was his licensed driver while in town on our date and then his dad would ride with us to take me home.  He would lay down in the back seat and sleep on the ride along.  I suppose not too many people started dating like that..... oh yes, I forgot to tell you that most of the time his three younger brothers and one of their friends would need a ride to the show.....so they accompanied us to the movie theater many times.

We dated my last year and a half of high school.  Then I went to college.  We broke up for a few months after I first went to college, but by Thanksgiving we were back together and never broke up again after that.  We got engaged right before Mike graduated from high school, but we waited a year later to get married.  May 24th, 1974 we tied the knot with all our family there to wish us well.  Ryan was born in September of 1975, Krista in March of 1980 and Amanda sixteen months later in July of 1981.  Yep I was pretty crazy.

In all these years neither Mike nor I have ever forgotten our anniversary, until this year.  We didn't really forget it.  We had  talked about it.  He was working that night and I am on the school board so I was supposed to be at Anadarko High School graduation.  I was in Stillwater until about noon or so and then drove home.  I got home about an hour before Mike had to leave and go to work.  Guess what we both went all day without telling each other Happy Anniversary.  One of my friends called me to say she just wanted to wish me a happy anniversary.  That's when I realized that we neither one had remembered to say anything to the other.  I called Mike up and we had a laugh about it.  We have had a pretty exciting couple of weeks.  We have both had several doctor's appointments and then Kristian decided to come early.  I have been in Stillwater with the baby and then Mike's brother who lives in Moore had tornado damage.  That's not even counting trying to keep laundry done at home, mow the lawn and get the flower beds in shape.  I'm glad I retired so I have time to do all these things.  LOL

Next year will be 40 years and you can bet on it that neither of us will forget it then.  Mike will probably be working, but he might just have to take off for that.  Our lives have had its' ups and downs but through the years we grew up together.  You can't spend that much time together and not grow to be more alike.  We both have our own interests but as I have said before we always made time for each other.  I'm sure we both had a few times when we wanted to throw in the towel, but instead we just learned how to rely on each other.  I can't believe that in 11 more years we will hit that 50th Golden Anniversary.  Old people are married for 50 years and I won't be old.  How can that be.  Here's hoping the next 11 years are at least close to as good as the last 39 have been.

Then

Now